As part of BCS Know How’s 2010 season preview, we will be breaking down our ten favorite Heisman hopefuls to get you ready for this season’s edition of the Heisman Watch.

Here’s our No. 1 selection, Alabama junior running back and defending Heisman Trophy recipient Mark Ingram.

In the same way that his Alabama Crimson Tide are the prohibitive favorites to repeat as national champions, running back Mark Ingram must be installed as preseason favorite to repeat as the Heisman Trophy recipient.

Yes, only one person in the history of the college game has won the trophy more than once in their collegiate career, however in Ingram’s case there are strong reasons to believe it is well within the realm of possibility.

Ingram burst onto the scene in 2009 during the Crimson Tide’s run towards the national championship, balancing the Tide’s offensive attack and allowing for a dynamic offense to emerge in Tuscaloosa. His impact was immediate as the former backup to Glen Coffee struck it big against Virginia Tech in Alabama’s first game — rushing for 150 yards and a touchdown.

As the 2009 season wore on Ingram experienced ups and downs during the Crimson Tide’s run through an undefeated SEC regular season, and jockeyed for position at the top of the Heisman race with a variety of contenders, including eventual runner-up Stanford running back Toby Gerhart.

It wasn’t until the season’s final week that Ingram truly separated himself from the pack, when he ran all over the feared Florida Gator defense in the SEC Championship Game, helping the Tide complete their undefeated regular season.

Ingram’s 1,658 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns to go along with three more touchdowns through the air were just enough to squeak him by Gerhart in the early-December Heisman balloting — Ingram coming out on top by the slimmest margin in Heisman history.

Now in 2010 Ingram looks to take his production to another level as most the offense that thrived with him as a centerpiece returns, including three of his blockers up front.

Bottom Line: Ingram will benefit greatly from the bevy of returning talent around him, but it could be a returning star who could derail his Heisman hopes.

Many believe that Trent Richardson, who backed up Ingram in ’09, is actually the better of the two running backs, and should get more touches in the offense as a sophomore.

Increased production and opportunities for Richardson could spell doom for Ingram’s hopes of a repeat Heisman victory, however Ingram himself will be improved from just a year ago as he settles into his second year of starting for the Tide.

Once again, Ingram will be faced with strong competition around the country for the trophy, however he cannot be discounted as the early national favorite for the trophy he claimed in just his first year as a starter.

The tides of change are being felt all over the college football landscape, yet the places highest above sea level seem to be feeling their boat rocking the most.

Just a few weeks removed from the announcement of Utah’s planned departure from the Mountain West Conference and the planned arrival of Boise State, the conference spent all of Wednesday wondering just who they’ll be able to claim as their own in the coming seasons.

The morning started with the news that BYU was mulling football independence, reportedly looking to garner the support of the BCS and work out a Notre Dame-type deal with the powers that be.

The Cougars’ plan, while not confirmed, sent the conference into a spin, and prompted them to offer Fresno State and Nevada membership in the conference.

Both schools had been members of the Western Athletic Conference — the conference Boise State is leaving behind in 2011 — and looked to be solid in their commitment to the league.

However, word came late Wednesday night that both schools would be joining the conference.

The addition of Boise State, Nevada and Fresno gives the league ten confirmed teams in the 2011 season if BYU moves ahead with its plan to be a football independent and play with the WAC in other sports.

However, BYU could decide to stay with the conference, giving them 11 teams and suddenly becoming an attractive option for other teams to join the conference to give the MWC 12 teams.

Houston, for example, could be very interested in joining the conference by leaving the C-USA with the guarantee of a stronger 12-team league than the C-USA can currently offer.

The moves could have BCS ramifications as well, as the next review for automatic BCS qualification comes after the 2011 season and any addition or loss to any conference could have a strong impact on those review qualifications.

A cascade of conference realignment and expansion has left Brigham Young University (BYU) in a strange position as its in state rival and Mountain West Conference foe, Utah, left the Cougars behind to join the Pac-10.

Seemingly left out in the cold — without an expected invitation to join another conference — BYU is now reportedly considering taking a completely different step — becoming a football independent.

Early reports told that BYU was looking to the BCS to afford it “Notre Dame” status, relating to the agreement the Irish have with the BCS that guarantees a bid for Notre Dame if they finish in the top eight of the final BCS standings.

More recent reports have told that BYU is interested in the opportunities that being an independent presents, including the ability to mold their own schedule, unbound by conference affiliation, and the ability to keep all of the bowl payout it receives.

The payout for a BCS at-large bid is reportedly six million dollars this season.

The Cougars’ planned independence only is in regards to its football program — the Western Athletic Conference (WAC)  has reportedly promised BYU a spot in their new look conference for all of their other sports if the Cougars leave the MWC.

BYU’s departure could have long-lasting consequences for the Mountain West.

The BCS will be looking into the automatic qualifying conferences in the coming years to determine if the current six conferences which are considered AQs (ACC, Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, Pac-10, SEC) are adequately deserving of their relationship with the BCS.

They will also be looking to see if any of the other five FBS conferences should be added to that AQ list. The Mountain West had been in discussion as a possible candidate before the conference realignment began this offseason, but the departure of BYU would only take away from those chances.

BYU, like Notre Dame, has its own television network deal and a religious affiliation to its name.

The current FBS independent schools are Navy, Army and Notre Dame.

Here’s a quick post where I’ll try to answer some pretty common questions about the upcoming season when it comes to the BCS and the season. If you have any other questions that aren’t here ask ‘em in the comments section and I’ll update the page!

Q. When do the first BCS standings come out? What is the rest of the BCS release schedule?

A. The first BCS standings will be released on the Sunday following Week Seven action, October 17th.

The rest of the release schedule is as follows:

BCS Week Two: October 24th
BCS Week Three: October 31st
BCS Week Four: November 7th
BCS Week Five: November 14th
BCS Week Six: November 21st
BCS Week Seven: November 28th
Final BCS Standings: December 5th

The final BCS standings will be released in conjunction with the BCS bowl pairings.

Q. What are the BCS conferences?

A. There are six BCS conferences, thus named because the champions of those conferences are automatically awarded BCS bowl bids. The six conferences are the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10 and Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Q. What are the non-BCS conferences?

A. There are five non-BCS conferences, named as such because their champions do not automatically qualify for BCS bowl bids. However, one champion from the non-BCS conferences will qualify for a BCS bowl bid if they are ranked in the top 12 in the final BCS standings, or if a champion from a non-BCS conference is ranked higher than any BCS conference champion ranked among the top 16.

The five non-BCS conferences are the Conference USA (C-USA), the Mountain West Conference (MWC), the Sun Belt Conference, the Mid-American Conference (MAC), and the Western Athletic Conferences (WAC).

Q. When is the 2010 Heisman Trophy presentation?

A. The Heisman Trophy Trust will host the 2010 Heisman Trophy presentation on December 11th, 2010. The presentation will be broadcast live by ESPN.

Q. When are the conference championship games?

A. Conference championship games for the Big 12, ACC, SEC, MAC and C-USA will be held on Saturday, December 4th.

Q. What is the new Rose Bowl selection process?

A. As explained HERE the new process is as follows:

The first time the Rose Bowl loses one of its traditional hosts (Big Ten or Pac-10 Champion) to the BCS National Championship Game, and a non-BCS team automatically qualifies for the BCS (as explained above), that non-BCS team will be selected by the Rose Bowl.

Q. Who is eligible for postseason play?

A. Members of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) will be eligible for postseason play if they finish the season with a winning percentage over .500. If there are not enough bowl-eligible teams, then teams which finish at .500 will be eligible as well.

For the 2010 season, the University of Southern California will not be eligible for postseason play due to sanctions handed down to the university by the NCAA because of NCAA infractions.

Q. What schools are currently under investigation by the NCAA?

A. Good news! BCS Know How is already keep track of the ever-growing list of ongoing investigations that the NCAA is performing right HERE.

We hope you enjoyed the BCS Know How series the “Road to Glendale 2011,” which highlighted each of the 2010 college football season’s best games of each week.

Here you can find a list of the best games of each week, and links to each of the 14 parts of the series at the bottom of this page!

Week 1:

TCU vs. Oregon State: Saturday Sept. 4, 7:45 PM ET

Navy vs. Maryland: Monday Sept. 6, 4 PM ET

Boise State vs. Virginia Tech: Monday Sept. 6, 8 PM ET

Week 2:

Florida State at Oklahoma: Saturday Sept. 11, 3:30 PM ET

Miami (FL) at Ohio State: Saturday Sept. 11, 3:40 PM ET

Penn State at Alabama: Saturday Sept. 11, 7 PM ET

Week 3:

Arkansas at Georgia: Saturday Sept. 18, 12 PM ET

Nebraska at Washington: Saturday Sept. 18, 3:30 PM ET

Florida at Tennessee: Saturday Sept. 18, 3:30 PM ET

Week 4:

Tulsa at Houston: Saturday Sept. 25, 7:00 p.m. ET

West Virginia at LSU: Saturday Sept. 25, 8:00 p.m. ET

Oregon State at Boise State: Saturday Sept. 25, TBA

Week 5:

Florida at Alabama: Saturday Oct. 2, TBA

Texas vs. Oklahoma: Saturday Oct. 2, TBA

Washington at USC: Saturday Oct. 2, 8:00 p.m. ET

Penn State at Iowa: Saturday Oct. 2, 8:05 p.m. ET

Week 6:

Troy at Middle Tennessee State: Tuesday Oct. 5, 8:00 p.m. ET

Temple at Northern Illinois: Saturday Oct. 9, 12:00 p.m. ET

Florida State at Miami (FL): Saturday Oct. 9, TBA

Week 7:

Arkansas at Auburn: Saturday Oct. 16, TBA

Iowa at Michigan: Saturday Oct. 16, 3:30 p.m. ET

Ohio State at Wisconsin: Saturday Oct. 16, 7:00 p.m. ET

Week 8:

Oklahoma at Missouri: Saturday Oct. 23, TBA

Wisconsin at Iowa: Saturday Oct. 23, TBA

Houston at Southern Methodist: Saturday Oct. 23, 3:30 p.m. ET

Week 9:

West Virginia at Connecticut: Friday Oct. 29, 8:00 p.m. ET

Florida vs. Georgia: Saturday Oct. 30, 3:30 p.m. ET

Missouri at Nebraska: Saturday Oct. 30, TBA

Week 10:

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech: Thursday Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. ET

TCU at Utah: Saturday Nov. 6, 3:30 p.m. ET

Alabama at LSU: Saturday Nov. 6, 8:00 p.m. ET

Washington at Oregon: Saturday Nov. 6, TBA

Arkansas at South Carolina: Saturday Nov. 6, TBA

Week 11:

Pittsburgh at Connecticut: Thursday Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m. ET

Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech: Saturday Nov. 13, TBA

South Carolina at Florida: Saturday Nov. 13, TBA

Penn State at Ohio State: Saturday Nov. 13, TBA

Georgia at Auburn: Saturday Nov. 13, TBA

Week 12:

Ohio State at Iowa: Saturday Nov. 20, TBA

Virginia Tech at Miami (FL): Saturday Nov. 20, TBA

USC at Oregon State: Saturday Nov. 20, 8:00 p.m. ET

Week 13:

West Virginia at Pittsburgh: Friday Nov. 26, TBA

Auburn at Alabama: Friday Nov. 26, TBA

Florida at Florida State: Saturday Nov. 27, TBA

Boise State at Nevada: Saturday Nov. 27, TBA

Week 14:

Big 12 Championship Game: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

ACC Championship Game: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

SEC Championship Game: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

Oregon at Oregon State: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

As part of BCS Know How’s 2010 college football season preview, we will be breaking down each week’s most important games that could have BCS and postseason implications in the “Road to Glendale 2011″.

Let’s move on to Week 14 where the three BCS conference championship games will play a huge role in which teams make BCS bowls in 2011.

Big 12 Championship Game: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

In what will be the conference’s final championship game, a matchup of two top-ten teams is more than likely in a very deep 2010 Big 12.

Among the favorites in the North are the defending division winners Nebraska, a revitalized Missouri team and even possibly an unexpected team, like a Colorado or Kansas.

The Big 12 South is sure to once again provide some of the best conference action in the country in the upcoming season, and when the time comes for the South to fill its bid, it could go to a team that has been battered by a tough schedule.

Oklahoma and Texas — as in years past — are the favorites, but don’t overlook teams like Texas Tech and Oklahoma State in the division.

Projected Matchup: Oklahoma Sooners vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

ACC Championship Game: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

Some might wonder if the ACC Championship Game has lost some of its luster in the past few years when the game failed to provide truly compelling matchups.

However, in 2010, you can expect two high-quality opponents to make their appearance in Charlotte for this years’ edition, as the ACC looks to have a bevy of talent and good teams all around the conference.

Among the favorites are Virginia Tech, Florida State and defending ACC champ Georgia Tech.

No matter what the matchup is, you can expect the ACC Champion to be a nationally vaunted team, and who knows, even a contender for a BCS National Championship.

Projected Matchup: Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Florida State Seminoles

SEC Championship Game: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

The last four years of the BCS have been ruled with an iron fist by the teams from the SEC. And for each of those four teams, the SEC Championship Game was their penultimate proving ground before making their way to a national title.

Could 2010 be more of the same?

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Arkansas and even more give the SEC the depth we’re used to expecting from the conference, meaning that we could be headed for a national semifinal of a SEC Championship Game, as it has been in the past few seasons.

The defending champion Crimson Tide must be the preseason favorites, but any of the aforementioned teams can make a legitimate run at the title. The SEC continues to be the best conference in the country, and there’s no reason to think the dominance will end anytime soon.

We should be treated to yet another high-quality and top ranked matchup when the final week of the regular season comes around.

Projected Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Georgia Bulldogs

Oregon at Oregon State: Saturday Dec. 4, TBA

Last year, this “Civil War” decided more than just the statewide bragging rights for the Ducks and Beavers.

Oregon’s victory in this game allowed the Ducks to return to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1995 and their first Pac-10 title since 2001.

This year’s matchup will feature some of the stars that featured heavily in the decisive game last season, including Oregon running back LaMicahel James and Oregon State back Jacquizz Rodgers.

However, both teams will be relying on new quarterbacks this season and their respective play could end up not only deciding which team is victorious in the Civil War, but whether that team is successful throughout the 2010 year.

Other Games of Note: C-USA Championship Game, MAC Championship Game, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati.

As part of BCS Know How’s 2010 college football season preview, we will be breaking down each week’s most important games that could have BCS and postseason implications in the “Road to Glendale 2011″.

Let’s move on to Week 13 where the Iron Bowl, Backyard Brawl and Sunshine Showdown rivalries will headline Thanksgiving weekend.

West Virginia at Pittsburgh: Friday Nov. 26, TBA

The Backyard Brawl rivalry is a huge game no matter the records of the Panthers and Mountaineers. However, in 2010, this could be an essential piece in the puzzle for either teams’ hopes of a Big East conference title and BCS bowl bid.

In the wide-open Big East, West Virginia and Pittsburgh are the favorites to capture the conference crown and when Thanksgiving weekend rolls around, this game could decide the Big East’s 2010 champion.

Both teams will rely on their top-level talent at running back — West Virginia trotting out Noel Devine and Pittsburgh keying Heisman hopeful Dion Lewis.

Running backs aside, both teams are well balanced and experienced around the field, but the key to the game might be the offensive lines. With strong running backs and quarterbacks that are not well-tested, the protection and movement at the point of attack will be of the utmost importance.

Pittsburgh lost three interior lineman from last season’s team, and may struggle to adapt to the new line early, but will hope to have things worked out by the time this game comes along. If the Panther line can get itself together, Lewis could easily be a late season Heisman favorite.

West Virginia is lucky to return a group of young but experienced group on the offensive line and will hope that they stay injury-free to protect Devine and pocket-passing quarterback (yes a pocket passer at West Virginia) Geno Smith.

Auburn at Alabama: Friday Nov. 26, TBA

As a part of the Crimson Tide’s run to the National Championship Game last season, they had to squeak by the Tigers in the annual Iron Bowl rivalry game. The five-point victory was a surprise to some, seeing as though the Tide had crushed Auburn in the previous year, 36-0.

Now that Auburn looks to making its way back to the form that allowed for six straight victories in the rivalry from 2002-2007, this game could turn out to be a classic in the making.

Add to that the preseason hype the Tigers are getting and that many predict the Tigers could be undefeated when the 2010 edition of the Iron Bowl rolls around, and this could be the defining game of the SEC schedule in 2010.

On the line in Tuscaloosa could be the SEC Western Division crown and positioning in the BCS standings.

The faces on Alabama should be pretty familiar to those on the visiting Auburn squad. However, Auburn must replace a large portion of their starting rotation including filling holes at running back and quarterback along with inserting new talent on the defensive line.

No matter whether the Tigers can gel by the time the game comes up or not, don’t expect a repeat of the 2008 shellacking by either side — this game could prove one of the most entertaining of the month.

Florida at Florida State: Saturday Nov. 27, TBA

A non-conference rivalry matchup in the midst of conference positioning throughout the country might seem like a unnecessary showcase for the time of year, but this year’s version of the rivalry could hold feature something we haven’t seen since 2003 — a Seminole victory.

True the Gators will likely be favored in the matchup despite the Tallahassee setting of this year’s rivalry game, but for the first time since 2005, a tight, hard-fought game is expected and both teams have a great chance of coming into the matchup with a BCS bowl bid in their near future.

Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder is capable of picking apart any defense, and Florida’s is no exception.

And for the first since before the Tim Tebow era, the Seminoles can say that their quarterback is just as big of a weapon as the Gators’ man behind center.

That is not to say, however, that by Week 13 Florida’s new quarterback, John Brantley, will not have complete control over the Gator offense and be orchestrating yet another trip to the BCS National Championship Game for the Gators and coach Urban Meyer.

Boise State at Nevada: Saturday Nov. 27, TBA

Despite the Broncos having another game in Week 14, this game may be the make or break game of their year.

Victories against Virginia Tech and Oregon State early in the season would easily put Boise on their way to a BCS bowl bid and an undefeated record, but this trip to Nevada to play an always tough Wolfpack could prove the last step towards an undefeated 2010 season.

The Wolfpack are favored to be the only team able to unseat the Broncos from atop the Western Athletic Conference, making this matchup a de facto conference title game as well, only adding to the pressure Boise State will likely feel coming into the meeting.

Last season’s edition of this WAC rivalry was a close affair, as the Wolfpack showed their best against the Broncos, including quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who passed for three touchdowns and kept the game close until the fourth quarter.

In the end, the performance of Kaepernick will  be measured against that of Bronco quarterback Kellen Moore, and whichever leader is able to triumph what is sure to be a statistical explosion might translate into a victory for his team.

Other Games of Note: LSU at Arkansas, Georgia Tech at Georgia, Michigan at Ohio State, Oklahoma at Oklahoma State, Houston at Texas Tech, BYU at Utah.

As part of BCS Know How’s 2010 college football season preview, we will be breaking down each week’s most important games that could have BCS and postseason implications in the “Road to Glendale 2011″.

Let’s move on to Week 12, where Big Ten and ACC titles could be on the line.

Ohio State at Iowa: Saturday Nov. 20, TBA

Preseason hype and expectations will mean very little when Ohio State takes the treacherous trek to Iowa City in this late-season Big Ten matchup that seems destined to be an elimination game for the Big Ten crown.

Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes will hope to have the Big Ten title all sewn up by the time this game rolls around, but, like in year’s past, that’s not going to be an easy task.

The Buckeyes will have to deal with tough opponents all season, not to mention the strong possibility of three or even four teams vying for the Big Ten title all the way throughout the season. All that skill spread around the country could spell a very muddled picture in the Big Ten in 2010, making this game of the utmost importance to two of the teams that seem primed to make a run at the title.

Last season these two teams met up on this same weekend with the Big Ten title on the line in Columbus. The Hawkeyes were able to comeback from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit, but they were beaten in OT by the Buckeyes, 27-24.

Hawkeye quarterback Ricky Stanzi and the Iowa defense will be fired up to welcome the Buckeyes into town and will look for some revenge, especially if the Big Ten title is up for grabs once again.

Virginia Tech at Miami (FL): Saturday Nov. 20, TBA

Two of the three teams that jumped the Big East ship in 2004 have made the ACC a comfortable fit for themselves, and 2010 looks to be no different, as both the Hokies and Hurricanes are among the favorites for the ACC title.

Both could use this game as a springboard to the ACC Coastal Division crown and to secure a berth in the ACC Championship Game. Once again, Tyrod Taylor and Jacory Harris will be tested against tough defenses and will measure against one another. Both are capable of doing damage with both their feet and their arms—in fact the teams could benefit from playing against a similar-style quarterback in the practices leading up to the game, as the two have similar styles.

A key for both teams will be to stay healthy down the stretch of the ACC schedule. Injuries riddled the 2009 campaign for the Hurricanes and prevented them from continuing their hot start to last season.

Virginia Tech was uncharacteristically weak during the middle of last season, dropping games to eventual ACC Champion Georgia Tech and to ACC foe North Carolina.

The Hokies will have to avoid those kinds of losses, especially at home, in order for this game to mean something to them when late November rolls around.

Miami will have the home field advantage in this one, which could prove more important than any other factor in this game, as the Hurricanes were 5-1 at home in 2009.

USC at Oregon State: Saturday Nov. 20, 8:00 p.m. ET

The state of Oregon has been quite unkind to the Trojans these past couple of years, delivering crushing loss after loss in four consecutive seasons and hampering the Trojans’ attempts at BCS National Championship Game berths.

This season the Trojans will be unable to compete in any postseason bowls, but they will still have to take the treacherous trip up the Pacific coastline to the state of Oregon, this year to face the Oregon State Beavers.

The Beavers have been underdogs in the two team’s meetings during the Trojans’ dominating Pac-10 run, but this year Oregon State might find itself in an unusual situation—favored against a USC team.

The Beavers are among the favorites for the Pac-10 title, and they have a chance to make their way to the top of the conference if they can overcome the growing pains of a new quarterback.

Oregon State will feature running back Jacquizz Rodgers extensively in this one—as they have the past few years against the Trojans—and will hope for a similar result to that of 2008—when the Beavers shocked the country by beating Mark Sanchez and the then-No. 1 Trojans.

Although the Trojans are ineligible for the postseason, don’t expect Lane Kiffin and USC to go quietly. Quarterback Matt Barkley and a group of talented returners will do their best to play spoiler to the entire conference and claim a Pac-10 title despite their inability to play in the Rose Bowl.

This game might be a perfect opportunity for the Trojans to do just that.

Other Games of Note: Wisconsin at Michigan, Arkansas at Mississippi State.

As part of BCS Know How’s 2010 college football season preview, we will be breaking down each week’s most important games that could have BCS and postseason implications in the “Road to Glendale 2011″.

Let’s move on to Week 11 where every game is make or break for conference contenders.

Pittsburgh at Connecticut: Thursday Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m. ET

Down the stretch of the Big East race in 2009, Connecticut nearly pulled upsets against Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, and Rutgers. Not one of those losses came by more than four points.

Finally, after nearly knocking off the eventual Big East champ Bearcats, the Huskies ended the season on a four-game winning streak—including a PapaJohns.com Bowl victory over South Carolina.

That kind of end to a season would make any team excited about its future prospects, and Connecticut is no exception. 2010 holds unprecedented expectations in Storrs, and when Pittsburgh comes to campus in this late-season matchup, things could get very interesting.

The Panthers themselves are considered among the favorites in the Big East, but this year Connecticut could be in position to actually complete the upsets it nearly pulled off in ’09, and this might be a key game in the Huskies’ drive for a possible Big East championship.

If the Huskies defense can contain Pittsburgh’s Heisman-hopeful running back Dion Lewis for four full quarters, there’s no reason to think an upset isn’t possible.

Combine this visit from the Panthers with a visit from West Virginia to Storrs the week before, and it’s not too much of a stretch to think the Huskies could win the conference if they can protect home field.

Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech: Saturday Nov. 13, TBA

Two of the ACC’s most dynamic quarterbacks and Heisman hopefuls—Georgia Tech’s Josh Nesbitt and Miami’s Jacory Harris—will feature prominently in this marquee matchup of ACC Championship hopefuls in 2010.

Georgia Tech will be coming off an extended break following a matchup with ACC favorite Virginia Tech, giving it enough time to prepare for an on-the-rise Hurricanes squad led by Harris and coach Randy Shannon.

Miami’s schedule to this point is not daunting, and after a fast start brought some of that swagger back to Miami last season, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Miami back near the top of the rankings when November 13 comes around.

Injuries and small mistakes kept the Hurricanes from being more than a nine-win team in 2009, but a year of experience—and hopefully for the ‘Canes a less injury-riddled season—could spell some real success in Shannon’s fourth season.

Tech will once again be testing the ACC with its spread-option offense, which Nesbitt has become a master of orchestrating, something that the Hurricanes will need to prepare for if they hope to top Georgia Tech on the road.

South Carolina at Florida: Saturday Nov. 13, TBA

Forget for a moment that this will be another Steve Spurrier return trip to the Swamp and that emotions will likely run high—this game is likely to be great on its own merits.

Spurrier, who will call all of the Gamecocks’ offensive plays this season, will be looking to put a scare into the Gators on the road. And if the Gamecocks can get a couple of the finer points ironed out earlier in the season, just a scare would be a disappointment.

South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia had transformed into the SEC’s most prolific passer and will need to bring an even better effort if the Gamecocks want to improve on a 7-6 record in 2009 that ended in a disappointing loss in a January 2nd bowl to Connecticut.

Florida’s quarterback situation is also a key point to this potentially important game, as by Week 11 we’ll probably know whether John Brantley is an adequate replacement for Tim Tebow or if he has struggled to adapt to his new role in the Gator offense.

The Gamecock defense should be an especially tough test for the new Gator quarterback—one that was able to rank highly in many statistical categories despite youth and injuries in 2009.

Penn State at Ohio State: Saturday Nov. 13, TBA

Perennial Big Ten contenders Ohio State and Penn State will do battle once again in Columbus in a game that could help decide—once again—the Big Ten champion.

Ohio State might have higher aspirations than a Big Ten championship this season, but it’ll have to get past a visit from the Nittany Lions if it wants to make a run at the championship game.

You know the major players here: coaches Paterno and Tressel, OSU QB Terrelle Pryor and Penn State RB Evan Royster, and just like any high quality Big Ten matchup this one will likely include some classic Big Ten rough, physical play.

Defenses and offenses will be tested all game and the winner will have a great shot at the conference title.

Expect both teams to come out fired up, and for the Buckeyes’ home field advantage to play a huge role in this one.

Georgia at Auburn: Saturday Nov. 13, TBA

This is another SEC matchup that could be a matchup of undefeated squads or one where both teams have taken a beating in early SEC action.

But despite the unpredictability of the SEC, most believe that both teams are serious contenders for their respective SEC division crowns, and this game will be key if either wants to meet that goal.

Both teams look stocked with talent all around the field, including Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green, a Heisman candidate, and an Auburn offensive line that is loaded with experienced players.

In the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” Auburn holds the slightest of edges over the Bulldogs, 53–52–8, and will look to extend the lead after Georgia has done a great deal of catching up in the past couple of years.

Add West Virginia’s name to the ever-growing list of ongoing investigations that the NCAA is performing.

In a statement issued to the public today, the university and AD Oliver Luck addressed the specific allegations that they face for the first time.

In the statement, Luck acknowleged that the Mountaineers had received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA — the first step an active NCAA investigation into a program.

Specifically, the NCAA is looking into the activity of graduate assistants, student managers and other non-official coaching staff for the school’s football team.

The investigation will cover the years 2005-2009, which may surprise some, as many had believed the investigation would only cover the administration of former Mountaineer coach Rich Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is currently the coach at the University of Michigan and was the coach of the Mountaineers during the first three years of the time span, while current coach Bill Stewart has been the coach since Rodriguez left in 2007.

NCAA rules dictate that a team may not have more than nine assistant coaches on full-time staff, but recently some questions have arisen as to the hiring practices of graduate assistants (who do not count to that limit) who have more expeirence than the normal graduate assistant has.

The NCAA has been concerned about universities using graduate assistants as non-listed assistant coaches, and providing on-field coaching — currently outlawed by the bylaws of the NCAA.